Why? Because they’re so committed to exposing the ID card bullshit.
As marc brought to my attention, whatever is in a manifesto is basicially gifted through the parliamentary process (a fact of which I was shamefully unaware). And guess what? ‘Voluntary’ compulsory ID cards are in the New LAbour Manifesto.
So, as earlier reported, the government plans to add fingerprints to passports, sometime after 2006. And, to save on government wastage, obviously, and not for any sinister big-brotherish reasons, it makes sense to take those fingerprint records and use them as the foundation for an ID card. Obviously.
A Labour Party spokesman told us first: “It’s voluntary. You don’t have to carry it.” This seemed doubtful to us, but we asked if, in that case, you were still going to be registered for an ID card when you registered for a passport. He said he’d call us back.
Later, he explained that ID cards would initially be “piggybacking” on passports, and that you would be offered an ID card along with your passport. Which, we suggested, you could always refuse? But you’d still be registered for an ID card, right? Possibly. He conceded that the data collected for passports would be pretty similar to the data collected for ID cards, but pointed out that “we’re not at the stage of having worked out all the details of how it would work. But it would work at passport renewal.”
We suspect that it is “voluntary” in the sense that it is a matter of personal choice whether or not you want to have a passport, and that if you choose not to have a passport, nobody will force you to register for an ID card until, er, they do. We’ve heard this somewhere before.
Well, if it’s voluntary in the sense that you don’t really have to have a passport, then I’m quids in. Irish passports all the way, and you can take your Blunkett inspired fingerprinting scheme, wrap it in tinfoil and stick it so far up your arse that you can taste tin when you vomit.
If you don’t currently have the possibility of carrying a non-UK passport, may I suggest that you start the genealogy reseach now? Irish passports are available to all those who have a parent or grandparent born in Ireland, which means either the south (post 1921) or anywhere on the island (before 1921).
Just so you know.
Hopefully, I’ll still be able to stick it to them. Jersey is not part of the UK.
its part of france isnt it?
Yes, but it is a Crown dependency, right? So certain Royal Perogatives could be invoked there as well, yes?
Joe: I shall merely assume that Hillan put you up to such a treasonous comment.
Ed: no, not a Crown Dependency. I think the proper term is a Royal Peculiar, but I’m not sure. We were a Crown Posession until we bought ourselves for some ducks and a couple of bales of hay (or maybe it was cows). We write our own laws. The only thing to worry about is to make sure the daft bastards didn’t write a law saying “what they said” which they’ve developed a nasty habit of doing.
Fuckin’ peculiar, more like.
And the CIA say you’re a British crown dependency, so that’s what you are. You can’t claim that the CIA would be wrong, can you?
All I know for absolute certain is that the US Navy has some damn sexy female Lieutenants.
Well, that was a bit of a random comment. Not being familiar with any females in the US navy, I’ll have to take your word for it.
My dad was invited to Government House for the International Air Display a few years back. Some were some USN honies.
So were some USN honies. Goddamn it.
It’s still a little bit random, to be honest. But I’ll accept your statement, as I have nothing to disprove it at this time.
My point was that whatever the merits of the CIA, the USN has some fine women. Credit where credit is due.